Little tools I can't live without

I'm always on the prowl for cool little utilities to either make my life easier, or help me keep my computers running faster. The down side to this is that I install so many terrible programs that I find I frequently need to reformat and start over :(

However, there are some utilities I always reinstall and depend on daily. I thought I'd start this blog by bring a few of those gems to you attention.

TypeItIn is one of those handy utilities that everyone ought to have. This is a little tray application (the icon sits in the lower tray near the clock) that you click when you need it. It holds all sorts of little bits of text that one would repeatedly have to type in while using the Web. For example, I store user names and passwords to a number of sites I frequent. I have my address listed in the way most web forms ask for it. You just position the mouse where you want to begin typing, click the appropriate button on TypeItIn and it enters all the necessary information for you. You can store just about any text you want and even group some of the buttons together for larger amounts of text. For $20.00 though, this is one of my favorites.

KeyNote is another must have, and best of all, ITS FREE! When you need to keep lots of dispersed notes, KeyNote lets you manage things with ease. You can create multiple 'groups' of topics or just stick everything under one heading. One thing I find really useful is to record all the serial numbers and purchase info for the programs I buy. This way, when I need to reinstall., or enter the registration info for upgrades, etc. I don't have to wade through years of emails looking for the right one.

When it comes to anti-virus, only one will do for me (actually I have a number of products but the one I rely on the most is) Avast For home use, the program is free, for commercial use, its a wise $40.00 investment.

Keeping the PC running smoothly is a never ending process. Two very important tools for this is Crap Cleaner to weed out the temp files and 'junk' that gets left behind, and RegSupreme. Crap cleaner is free while RegSupreme runs a whopping $12.00 Use both once a month and you're PC will love you for it.

Well, that's a good starting point. Come back often as I will expand this list as frequently as I can. I will also be posting a number of 'how-to' articles that hopefully will save you many hours of frustration and/or help you get the most from your PC.